Cake expander



Feb. 9, 1954 L, LlTTLE ETAL 2,668,678

AAAAAAAAAA ER INVENTO Patented Feb. 9, 1954 &658578 CAKE EXPANDER Lonnie Abraham Little, Elizabcthton, and Terry Lester Williams, Watauga, Tenn., assignors to North American Rayon Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application september 9, 1948, Serial No. 48,403

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for supporting packages such as cakes and the like of synthetic yarn Or thread, more especially after the same have been deformed during after-treatment and the yarn or thread is being unwound thereirom onto spools or other collecting devices.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a Simplified device having resilient members adapted for supporting such cakes and maintaining them in properly shaped condition during the unwinding of the thread therefrom.

Another object is to provide a yarn cake supporting device of substantially globular shape the resilient members of which are adapted to exert an outwardly directed force against the walls of the hollow interior of the cake either directly hy the action of said members per se or by the outward transmission of such force to said walls through agency of a sleeve placed within said cake so as in either case not only to support said cakeeffectively but also to maintain said cake in proper shape during the unwinding of the thread therefrom and thus insure the absence of creases or wrinkles therein which might cause the unwinding of the yarn or thread to proceed in jerky fashion with consequent damage thereto.

A still further object is to provide a device of the character described which can readily be manufactured in large quantities from unit-like interchangeable constructional elements so that large numbers of such devices can be readily assembled and kept in operative condition.

Rayan yarn or thread may be produced in the form of oakes, or, if produced in the form of Other packages, these may be converted into cakes. Such cakes, often termed "cheeses" in the art, are of unsupported nature, that is, devoid of spools, cores Or the like. These cakes are usually encased in abric wrappers of tubular shape often termed "stockings" which are drawn over the cakes and serve to protect the cakes from damage during the various after-treatments to which the rayon is subjected. Such wrappers are shown for example in the U. S. Patent No. 1,688,702 to Gladding. During the after-treatment of the thus wrapped cakes, the latter, being unsupported, may become deformed or may be deliberately deformed and it is necessary to restore them to substantially the shape prevailing prior to such treatment, that is, a Substantially cylindrical shape, substantially free from creases or wrinkles, before the yarn or thread can be readily unwound therefrom without damage for transfer to spools or Other collecting Gil devices. Such reshaping may be effected for example by inserting into the hollow interior of the cake a sleeve of cylindrical shape made of resilient material having slidably Overlapping edges that allow the sleeve to be manually compressed to a cylinder of smaller diameter so as to permit its insertion and which sleeve, upon being released, expands inside the cake and reshapes the same.

After being thus reshaped, the cake containing the sleeve may be placed upon a suitable support and the yarn or thread unwound therefrom without damage, after removing the abric wrapper from the outside thereof. The support employed, however, should be capable not only of holding the cake securely but should also be adapted to exert a constant, radially directed force or pressure against the walls of the hollow interior of the cake during the unwinding of the latter in order to maintain the shape thereof until subtantially all of the yarn has been unwound. Such force amplifies the expanding and reshaping action of the above mentioned sleeve, the latter serving as an intermediary or causing the expanding force to be uniformly exerted against the cake. The support should also be capable of unctioning in substantially similar fashion in cases where no sleeve is used, in which case the resilient members of the support per se act directly against the inside of the cake to maintain the same in properly shaped condition.

The support of the invention is therefore constituted as a device hereinafter referred to as a bipolar globular expander comprising resilient members extending in outwardly bowed longitude-like relation between two poles of a hollow globular body, said members serving as the means for supporting the cake and for exerting the reshaping and shape retaining force mentioned above.

A preferred embodiment of a device arranged to serve as a globular expanding support and arranged to perform the functions recited above is shown in the drawing, where:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the entire device.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the device, showing also a compressible sleeve and a rayon cake in position thereon.

Fig. 3 is a top view, partly in section, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a portion of the bottom as a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 shows one form of resilient Strip for constituting the cake holdingmembers.

Fig. 6 shows another form of resilient strip for the same purpose.

Referring in detail to the figures of the drawing, the device comprises a structure of Substantially globular shape constituted of a plurality of flat strips, preferably of spring sheet metal retained in outwardly bowed spaced relation. If the strips are constituted as shown in Fig. 6, they are sprung into annular shape as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the arcuate outwardly bowed downwardly extending lateral portions l of which (hereinafter called "longitude-like members") are retained in sprung configuration as by a limiting sleeve 2 extending centrally through the bipolar globular structure, and astening means hereinafter described. A shait 3 passes through this sleeve and beyond the same at the two ends or "poles" of the device. :Shaft 3 passes through aperture in the annularly shaped members but the sleeve 2 does not and therefore acts as an internal limitshaft near the top as shown in Fig. 2. A plate 6,

preferably made of plastic or non-corrodible metal serves both as a mounting support for the members l, central shaft 3 and sleeve 2, as well as for holding the bottom portion of the stocking when the same is removed from the outside of the cake as hereinafter described. As shown in Fig. 2, the overlapped bottoms of the strips are pressed against the plate B by the washer 4, lower end of sleeve 2, and the action of nut 8 and look nut 9 exerted through sleeve 2. Shaft 3 is rigidly associated with plate 6 by means of washer bearing against the under side of plate 6 and a U-shaped retaining clip il housed in a recess in washer IG and engaging in a groove [2- extending perpendicularly of the shaft. Any other r suitable means such as a pin or the like may of course also be used. The entire assembly is thus frictionally held together and the resilient, outwardly bowed longitude-like members l are thus held in suitably spaced relation to each other. The latter are preferably so positioned as to be substantially equidistantly spaced as shown in Fig. 1, thus producing a hollow resilient -structure of substantially globular shape. A preferred method of fabricating the lOngitude-like members is to make them from long flat strips of spring steel, perforated in the center and adjacent each end, as shown in Fig. 6. However, if desired, the members may be constituted as shorter strips perforated adjacent each end, as shown in Fig. and of a length adapted to produce the arcuate outwardly-bowed longitude-like resilient side members when placed in position. This alternate method of course requires a larger number of perforated strips. In assembling the device, the strips are superposed and the perforations aligned to permit passage of the polar shaft used for retaining the structure in globular shape. Combinations of centrally perforated and merely end-perforated strips may also be used. The longitude-like members may also be made directly in the form of finished seamless annuli or rings, as by cutting them in the form of wide annular sections (not shown) from a springy sheet metal tube, providing such annular sections with two diametrically located holes, nterfitting the annuli s'o as to cause them to overlap at the poles of the globe and spacing the side portions l as shown in the drawing. In the drawing, six longitude-like members l are shown. However, a larger number of members l may be provided to impart the expensive force desired to a greater area of the hollow interior of a cake supported thereon. obviously, of course, not less than three of such members should be used if the structure is to be of substantially globular shape.

A removable cap Is, preferably made of plastic or non-corrodible metal, of somewhat greater diameter than the cake, and provided with a suitable handle M attached thereto as by screws I5, may also be provided. This fits frictionally on the projecting top end of shaft 3 and seats against the locknut 9. The sleeve l when fixed inposition on the shaft 3, for example as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, serves to limit the extent to which the cap |3 can be frictionally pushed down and thus prevents the cap from Contacting with and deforming the resilient globular structure.

The globular expander cake holder hereinabove described can be readily manufactured from unit constructional elements and easily serviced as by substituting new resilient members in Strip Or annular form if any become corroded Or damaged. In its general aspect the device resembles a hollow globe-like structure the outside of which is constituted of the resilient members extending from pole to pole in longitude-like fashion akin to the lines of longitude of the earth with a polar shaft passing through the interior, emerging at the poles and with means at the poles to hold the members in assembled relation.

In using the device, the cake of yarn or thread which has been .after-treated and dried and which is still wrapp'ed in the hereinbefore mentioned stocking and which may have become deformed during such treatment, is first reshaped to restore the cake to approximately the shape prevailing before such treatment. This is effected by inserting the compressible and expansible sleeve shown in section in Fig. 2 and indicated by IG. This is made of resilient material such as springy metal, but preferably of plastic, and is formed into substantially cylindrical shape with loosely overlapping side edges. When compressed manually so as to 'reduce it to smaller cylindrical size sufiicient to permit it to be inserted into the central opening of the cake, it will, upon, being released, expand against the hollow interior of the cake and restore the latter to its original shape. The still wrapped cake, with the sleeve thus inserted, is then thrust down upon the expander sothat the globular portion thereof is inside the sleeve that in turn presses outwardly against the cake. The upper portion of the stocking which extends half way down from the top over the outside of the cake is then tucked into the hollow upper portion of the aforesaid inserted sleeve and the lower portion of the stocking is pulled down over the support plate 6. The cake of yarn or thread is now exposed and in supported position ready for unwinding. The resilient, outwardly bowed members l not only serve to hold the cake as a whole securely in place frictionally but also continue to exert a constant outwardly directed shape-maintaining force against the walls of the hollow interior of the cake until the yarn or thread has been unwound. This force may be transmitted to the walls either directly by the members l or, in the preferred method of using' 25%&878

the dev'ice, 'through intermediary of the commassi-ble sleeve hereinhefore described.

l The cap '1'3 'may be placed "in 'frictionaily 'retained :position at the 'top of shaft '3 so as 'to rest slightly above the top of the cake, *the sleeve '1 being of suita'bie length to provide such clearance. The plate l3 is of service in guiding the thread as it unwinds and passes to the spool, cone, or other co'li'ecting device, 'the 'thread passing Over and around the 'peripheral edge of the cap 13 and thus, in eifect, ferming a hallcon of constant diameter. The 'cap 13 thus prevents the yeah Or thread, as it is 'being 'withdrawn 'from the cake from dragging across the outside of the letter.

What is claimed is:

i. A device *for supporti-ng hollow :takes of synthetic yarn or' thread after processing the same and While unwinding the yarn or thread therefrom comprising a sha't, a hollow bipolar globular structure composed .of resilient longitude-iike members, said members having holes formed therein for receiving said shaft so that said shaft holds said members arched around it to form said globular structure, the arched portions of said members being substantiaily equidistantlyspaced from each other for yieldingly engaging With the interior walls of the hollow portion of said cakes and exerting an outwardly directed force thereon and extending from one pole to another pole of said bipolar globular structure, means for fastening said members at each pole of said structure for retaining said resilient longitude-like members in side-by-side and fixed outwardly bowcd :spaced rclatien 'between 'said poles.

2. A device for supporting hollow cahes of synthetic yarn or thread after proccssing the same and While unwinding the yarn or thread therefrom comprising a hollow bipolar globular structure composed of strips of resilient material periorated adjacent each end and centrally thereof and formed to produce arcuately shaped longitude-like side members substantially equidistantly spaced from each other for yieldingly engaging With the interior Walls of the hollow portion of said cakes, and exerting an outwardly directed force thereon, a support plate Contacting with one pole of said structure for supporting the bottoms of said cakes, a polar shaft attached at one end to said plate and extending at both poles of said globular structure through the perforations of said members, an interchangeable sleeve over said shaft and disposed interiorly of said globular structure for determining the globular configuration of said structure, fastening means cooperating With said shait, said plate and said longitude-like members at one of said poles and fastening means cooperating With said longitude-like members and said shaft at the other of said poles for holding said resilient longitudc-like members in side-by-side and fixed spaced relation between said poles.

3. A device for supporting hollow cakes of synthetic yarn or thread after processing the same and while unwinding the yarn or thread therefrom comprising a hollow bipolar globular structure composed of strips of resilient mats rial perforated adjacent each end and formed to produce arcuately shaped longitude-like side members substantially equidistantly spaced from each other for yieldingly engaging With the interior Walls of the hollow portion of said cakes and exerting an outwardly directed force thereon, the ends of said strips being overlapped at thepoles and the perforati'ons thereo'i aligned, a support plate 'Contacting With -onezpole :dr :said structure for supporting 'the hot-tom of said cakes, a *poiar shaft attached' at one 'end to said pl-ate and'extending at both poles of said globul-*ar structure through the aligned perforations said overlapped strips, -a-n interchangeahle sleeve over said shait and disposed interioriy -of :said globular structure i'or -determining 'the gidbuiar eonfiguration of said strueture, -fa-stening means ccopeiating with said shait, said piate and said longitude-lce members at one ef said poles and fastening mean-s cooperating said long-itudelike memhers and 'said eila-ft 'eit the other 'of said poles ter holdi-ng 'said resilient longitude-i'ike members in side-hy-side and *fixed spaced 'relation between said poles. l

4. A *JV''CB for supporting hollow cakes ef syntheti'c yarn -or 'thread 'after process'ing' the same and while unwinding the yarn or thread' therefrom' comprising a shaft and :retainirrg means, a *pluraiity ef resilient iongitude-like' members having poles formed therein to receive said sha ft, 'said retaining means, said s'hait and said resilient members being assembled -on :said

shaft to hold said resiiient members in position to define "a hol-low globular structure, said siraft ferming the axis ef said globular structure along Which the diameter thereof is iixed, globular structure being highly resilient along :other diameters thereof fer yieldingiy engaging with the interior Walis of the ho'liow portion of said ucahes and exerting an outwardiy directed 'force thereori.

5. A devic'e or supporting hollow calires ef synthetic yarn or thread a it-er :precessing the same and while unw'inding the yam or :th-read therefrom comprising a shait, a plurality of resilient strip members each having holes formed therein to receive said shaft, said holes in said strip members being spaced apart, means for holding said strip members assembled on said shaft so that the outside surfaces of said strip members form a substantially globular structure when no cake is supported thereby, said shaft forming the axis of said globular structure along Which the diameter of said globular structure is fixed, said globular structure being highly resilient along Other diameters thereof along which said globular structure may be compressed to be distorted out of its globular shape so that said structure may be inserted into the rayon Cakes that are to be supported by it.

6. A device for supporting hollow cakes of synthetic yarn or thread after processing the same and While unwinding the yarn or thread therefrom comprising a shaft, a plurality of resilient strip members each having holes formed therein to receive said shaft, said holes in said strip members being spaced apart, means for holding said strip members assembled on said shaft so that the outside surfaces of said strip members form a generally globular structure when no cake is supported thereby, said shaft forming the axs of said generally globular structure along Which the diameter of the structure is fixed, said structure being highly resilient along other diameters thereof along Which said structure may be compressed so that the portions of each of said resilient strips that press against the inside of the rayon cake supported thereby assume a substantially straight configuration, all parts of Which exert pressure against the inside of the rayon cake.

7. A device for supporting hollow cakes of synthetic yarn or thread after processing and during unwinding thereof comprislng a structure having a hollow and resilient body portion of substantially spherical shape, said body portion having a plurality of resilient strip members that are bent and arranged in the aforesaid Substantially spherical shape, means for holding said resilient strip members normally in said Substantially spherical shape, said resilient body por tion being distortable out of its substantially spherical shape so that it may be inserted into a hollow cake of yarn to exert a force against the inner walls of said :cake and support said cake thereon, the aforesaid force being produced by said resilient strip members endeavoring to maintain said substantially spheri-cal shape.

8. A device for supporting hollow cakes of synthetic yarn or thread after processing and during unwinding thereof comprising a structure having a hollow and resilient body portion of substantially spherical shape, said body portion having a plurality of resilient strip members that are bent and arranged in the aforesaid Substantially spherical shape, means for holding said resilient strip members normally in said Substantially spherical shape, said means comprising a shaft passing through said body portion and ferming a fixed diameter thereof, said resilient body portion being distortable out of its Substantially spherical shape so that it may be inserted into a hollow cake of yam to exert a force against the inner walls of said cake and support said cake thereon, the aforesaid force being produced by said resilient strip members endeavoring to maintain said substantially spherical shape.

9. A device for supporting hollow cakes of synthetic yarn or thread after processing and during unwinding thereof comprising a structure hav- 8 ing a hol'low and resilient body portion' of substantially spherical shape, said body portion having a plurality of resilient strip members that are bent and arranged in the aforesaid substantially spherical shape, a shaft passing through said body portion, said resilient strip members each having holes formed therein for receiving said shaft, the perforated portions of said strip mem bers being stacked one above the other on said shaft to hold said strip members bent into said substantially spherical shape, said resilient body portion being distortable out of its Substantia]- ly spherical shape so that it 'may be inserted into a hollow cake of yam to exert a force against the inner walls of said cake and support said cake thereon, the aforesaid force being produced by said resilient strip members endeavoring to main tain said substantially spherical shape. LONNIE ABRAHAM LI'I'I'LE. TERRY LES'IER WILLIAMS References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,197,774 Smith Sept. 12, 1916 1,478,789 Magrath Dec. 25, 1923 1,479,253 Rivetta Jan. 1, 1924 1,762,516 Hlavac -.June 10, 1930 2,106,799 Elvin et al Feb. 1, 1938 2,154,343 McDermott Apr. 11, 1939 2,248,716 Markle, Jr. July 8, 1941 2,249,151 Magrath July 15, 1941' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 218,509 Germany Mar. 7, 1909 

